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Monday, February 6, 2017

Dr Jeffrey: GS/USA has better policies, Let’s Debate

KOTA KINABALU - “Gabungan Sabah or the United Sabah Alliance (USA) which has released its 15-points core struggles for Sabah has obviously better policies than the current Umno-led BN Sabah government. We welcome a public debate with Minister Datuk Rahman Dahlan and we will conclusively prove it,” said Datuk Dr Jeffrey Kitingan, Solidarity Tanah Airku President cum Bingkor Assemblyman in welcoming the Minister’s challenge to the opposition in Sabah to set out their policies.

Gabungan has clear-cut principles and policies for Sabah and is ready to win in PRU-14 and form the next Sabah government.
At its very foundation, under Gabungan, Sabah will be an equal partner to the Federation of Malaya and Sarawak and stand up for the rights and interests of Sabah unlike the current BN Sabah government who are subservient to the Umno-led federal government. In fact, instead of treating Sabah as an equal partner, Minister Rahman himself upholds that Sabah is 1 of the 13 States of Malaya renamed as Malaysia.

There will be reforms of many aspects of the current policies and strengthening Sabah’s government as well as an equal and autonomous partner in Malaysia including the adoption of the 1-Federation 2-Systems. Sabah will not be equal to tiny Perlis which is 1/90 the size of Sabah. Instead under its Regionalization Plan, Perlis like the other States in Malaya will only be equivalent to one of the 5 new regions in Sabah similar to the old Residencies.

Gabungan will review ownership rights of the oil and gas that come out of Sabah’s land which rightly belongs to Sabah and not as taken away by Petronas with only 5% returns. The new Sabah government under Gabungan will re-claim all of Sabah’s specified revenues, grants and revenue rights as enshrined in the Federal Constitution including the 40% net revenue entitlement which the current Sabah government has failed to reclaim since being highlighted from 2011.

Gabungan will also ensure Sabah has an active and complementary role to protect and safeguard Sabah with the establishment of a new Homeland Security Ministry which will not only issue a Sabah IC but also have control over immigration and border security matters.

Sabahans will be at the forefront and priority of the Gabungan-led Sabah government. The identity of Sabahans will be strengthened as Bangsa Sabah and natives will be accorded their rightful status as provided in the Federal Constitution.

Land administration will be better managed under a 1-stop centre with proper recognition of native land rights and strengthened with the establishment of the Land Commission, Native Land Foundation and a Land Tribunal to resolve land disputes and NCR claims. This is completely the opposite of the land policies of the current government which have often issued land titles over NCR lands resulting in natives being forcefully evicted by the new landowners and inadvertently assisted by the federal security and police forces.

There will also be changes to the health, education, agriculture, fisheries and social policies to improve the business prospects, job opportunities, lives and livelihood of Sabahans or Bangsa Sabah under the new Gabungan-led Sabah government.

“Unlike the current subservient government, Gabungan will take all necessary action in the best interests of Sabah and Sabahans and make Sabah more progressive with a brighter future. We are confident that Gabungan Sabah will be a better Sabah government and Sabah will no longer be the poorest State or exporting manual labour to Malaya.” said Dr Jeffrey.

“We, the Gabungan leaders, are ready for the public debate with Minister Rahman at any suitable place and time” concluded Dr. Jeffrey.

Gabungan is chaired by former Berjaya finance Minister Datuk Mohd. Noor Mansoor, and currently comprise of Parti Cinta Sabah (PCS), Sabah Progressive Party (SAPP) and Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (STAR). Parti Harapan Rakyat Sabah (Harapan) has announced its plan to work with Gabungan who are also waiting for Parti Warisan Sabah as well as PKR and DAP to form at least an electoral pact to achieve a 1 vs 1 contest against BN in PRU-14.